Brothers of Honor: Chapter Two
by snakesandscarlettforever
Summary: When a 7 year-old boy gets his wish, and makes a friend who is like a brother, a new person is born... Ian Matthew Michaels begins his journey with a brother by his side. Rated K. Please read and review!


** Alright then! Chapter two! I noticed that on chapter one I didn't get any reviews, so I don't know if any of you read it. If you haven't...you MUST! (or you won't know what's going on. **.net/s/5330916/1/Brothers_of_Honor_Chapter_One **-- that's where you can go to read it. (And DO review...I beg!) **

**I'm sorry that these are in such short segments, but my chapters are pretty short. Like I said, I'm still editing. =D (There will be minor changes in the future.)**

**I do not own G.I. Joe or anything associated with it. **

**Please read and read chapter one before you read this...it's IMPORTANT! =D**

**rated K **

**CHAPTER**

**2**

**The next morning Ian woke up bright and early, greeted by the delicious smell of bacon and eggs floating from the kitchen below. He climbed out of bed drowsily, putting on his blue jeans and a green turtle neck long sleeved shirt. He brushed his hair and went down stairs. As he was rounding the hallway corner to the kitchen, he was swept off of his feet by his father. Ian laughed wildly as his father tickled him. "Hahahahaha!St-stop tickl-hahahaha!Tickling me!Hahahahaheehee! Please stop daddy!" John let his son down and took him over to the couch; he sat Ian on his knee and asked him a question, "Ian, do you feel like going for a ride this morning after breakfast?" Ian stood up, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "To where, daddy?" John quickly glanced at Ann who was standing in the doorway. "Well, I've got some business to settle with a man down in Manhattan, and I thought that you might like to come." Ian thought for a moment, "Well, I guess that I could go. Okay, I'll come with you."**

**After breakfast Ian ran upstairs to put on his shoes. On the way up he ran into Terri. "Oh, hi Terri. How did you sleep last night?" Terri yawned drowsily. "Uhn, just fine. Why are you up so early?" Ian started to walk up the stairs again. "Oh, well I just woke up early. Daddy's taking me to Manhattan on a business trip. I have to find my shoes, see you in a minute!" **

**Ian rushed upstairs and started throwing clothes out of his closet to find his shoes. John called up to his son from downstairs, "Ian!Come on! We have to hurry!" He looked for his shoes franticly. "Okay! Just a minute!" Ian came thundering downstairs with one shoe on his foot but untied, and the other in his hand. "I'll put it on in the car." He explained. Ann came to her son and hugged him. "Be careful, Ian. And you too, John." Ian smiled and headed for the door with his father. "Bye mommy, we'll be back soon."**

**Ann smiled at her innocent son as he walked out the door, trying to stifle a laugh until they were gone as she put a dress on Terri.**

**Terri looked at her mother with curious blue eyes. "Why are you laughing, mommy?" Ann busied herself with buttoning the dress. "Oh, it's just that you're brother is going to be in for a big surprise."**

**Father and son drove down the busy, packed streets of Manhattan, weaving carefully through traffic. Ian leaned back in the seat, looking out the window at all of the busy people. "Where are we going, daddy?" John didn't take his eyes off of the crammed road. "You'll have to wait and see, son." **

**The ride was long and slow, especially for Ian; he was very tense as to where they were going, but he suppressed his excitement, lest he bother his father. Suddenly, the tension snapped as John turned into the parking lot of an authentic Japanese dojo. Ian looked at his father anxiously, but remained silent. John acted as if he did not notice his son, but turned off the engine and sat back, looking at his son with a sly smile playing on his lips. After a moment's silence, Ian broke the stillness; he gulped and in a quivering voice asked, "Um, daddy, why did we stop....here?" John stifled a laugh. "Well, this is where my business is that I need to attend to." Ian looked at the dojo anxiously. "Why-why here?" John smiled. **

"**Because I got a raise." Ian stared at his father blank-faced for a moment, and then his deep blue eyes grew wide. He stammered almost uncontrollably. "You-you mean...I-I can...." John laughed. "Yes, son. You can." Ian Michaels was the most excited that he had ever been in his life. He hugged his father's neck tightly, almost crying, but mostly laughing. "Oh thank you daddy! Thank you!" John hugged his son back and then got out of the car.**

"**You're welcome, son. Come on, let's go in."**

**It was extremely Asian it on the inside of the dojo; every thing from the dark red painted walls down to the tiny ruby jewels carefully placed in the eye sockets of golden dragon statues. John directed his son to sit on a wicker bench under an authentic painting of Mount Fuji. Ian sat down and played with the tassels sewn onto the red cushions on the bench as he looked around the room; there was a desk at the far wall, it was made from dark cherry wood, and there were a bunch of small dragon statues and Japanese writing on the desk. Above the desk there was a huge painting; it was the I-Ching; it had six blood red bars going across the canvas. The first bar was solid, but the second bar was cut in two, and the four other bars were in the same pattern; one solid and the other cut in two, one solid and the other cut in two. On the opposite wall, flanking the door, were two giant vases with bamboo stalks in them. Then to the right of the bench was a long, dark hallway; there were lanterns at different intervals along the wall, their light glittering off of gold painted dragons. Soft Japanese music played in the background; it was almost too good to be true. Ian's thoughts were interrupted when an elderly Japanese man walked into the room; he had long gray hair and a mustache, and he wore an eye patch across his right eye. The old man was dressed in traditional Japanese garb. He looked at Ian and then walked over to John. Ian was anxious to hear the old man, but something else caught his eye; when the old man turned around, Ian noticed a young Japanese boy hiding behind him. The little boy glanced at Ian and then quickly buried his face in the folds of the old man's dark gray and green robe. Ian smiled; this little boy was obviously very shy. **

**After a moment, John called his son over. The old man smiled and extended his hand. "I am the Hard Master. Your father has told me all about you. If I understand correctly, you are to be my new apprentice?"**

**Ian grinned from ear to ear as he answered. "Yes sir!" The Hard Master looked up at John. He noticed the concern in his eyes. "Do not worry, your son will be well taken care of." John smiled, "I'm sure he will." **

"**Oh, and before I forget, this is my nephew, Tommy." The Hard Master said, pointing to his side. The little Asian boy peeked around ****his uncle's side, glancing at Ian and his father. The Hard Master took hold of his nephew's wrist. "Thomas Arashikage, must I tell you again?" Tommy reluctantly came from behind his uncle, but said nothing. The Hard Master glanced down at him. "Please show Ian around." Tommy was still reluctant. He looked at Ian, and then turned, walking off down the hall. His voice was very quiet as he called him. "Come on, I'll show you." The Hard Master turned to John after the two were out of ear shot. "I apologize for my nephew's behavior; he lost his mother and father a few months back, and has been living with me." John picked up his coat. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." The Hard Master smiled. "Thank you. Would you like to stay for Ian's first lesson?" John quickly checked the time on his watch. "Yes, I think that he would want me to stay."**

**Tommy and Ian walked through the dim lit corridors of the Arashikage, their foot steps echoing eerily off of the walls. Ian tried striking a conversation with Tommy; "So, have you and your uncle been here long?" He was surprised to get an answer from him. "Oh, not too long; about three months."**

"**Do you have many people come here?"**

"**Yes."**

"**Do you're parents live here too?"**

**Tommy took some keys out of his pocket, unlocking a door to their left.**

"**I don't have any parents."**

**Ian looked at him in surprise.**

"**What happened to them?"**

**Tommy opened the door and walked in, stepping aside for Ian.**

"**They were killed last spring in a fire accident that happened at our dojo in Japan. That's why me and my uncle moved up here."**

**Ian felt sorry for him.**

"**I'm sorry, Thomas. I hope that every thing works out alright."**

**Thomas didn't go any further on the subject, but showed him the room.**

"**This is where we'll be staying." He explained.**

**Ian looked at him quizzically.**

"**What do you mean?"**

**Tommy walked over to the slightly cracked open window shutting it.**

"**You're dad didn't tell you? This dojo offers extremely strict training, therefore, you have to stay a few nights a week." Ian raised his eyebrows. "Oh...no, he didn't tell me." Tommy put the keys back in his pocket. "Well, this is it, anyway." **

**The room was nice; it had a window on the far wall that looked out onto the road. Two beds were placed on ether side of the wall to the right, and two dressers side by side to the left. As in the waiting room, two vases with bamboo stalks in them flanked the door. On the far wall where the window was, two wicker benches were set up, they had red and gold cushions on them, and above the benches were paintings of different places in Japan. Tommy turned to walk out the door, Ian followed. Tommy locked the door and pointed across the hall; "Over there are the bathrooms." He walked on. "Over there on the right are the girl's rooms." He paused, winking at Ian. "And it's lots of fun to play pranks on them. Then further down the hall to your left are the boy's rooms." Ian nodded. "So why do we have are own separate rooms?"**

**Tommy shrugged. "Cause we're the youngest ones here. The rest are older." Ian nodded.**

"**Ah, I see. Where is the training area?"**

**Tommy pointed down the hall.**

"**Down there, but there are several training rooms according to the person's age, follow me."**

**Tommy turned right down a long winding corridor.**

**When they came to a large double glass door, Tommy stopped and pulled out his keys once again.**

"**This is where the young ones train; like us. You can look around if you want to." **

**The room was like your regular training area; red or blue mats on the floor, white walls, a sitting area, Japanese lamps hanging from the ceiling, and of course training equipment; swords, throwing stars, daggers, staffs, and so on and so forth. **

**Suddenly, the Hard Master appeared in the doorway with John. "Showing our new guest around, Tommy?"**

**Tommy looked up at his uncle. "Yes sir, I've shown him everything." The Hard Master winked at his nephew. "Then I think that he is ready for his first lesson." **

**The Hard Master walked out onto the floor, slipping off his sandals before doing so. He looked at his new apprentice. "Take off your shoes, please." Ian slipped them off, standing bare footed on the mat. The Hard Master flexed his arms, looking intently at the young apprentice. "Alright then, charge me." Ian was a bit nervous, but one glance at his confident father, and he felt better. He took a deep breath and plunged headlong at the Hard Master, but only ran into the wall; the Hard Master had neatly stepped to one side, allowing Ian to plunge right past him. Ian stood up and charged again, this time stopping a hair's breadth from the Hard Master and making a quick ax sweep; but the Hard Master simply jumped over his leg. The sensei saw the disappointment in Ian's blue eyes. He patted him on the shoulder and laughed. "Good move, Ian! You are very fast. Where did you learn it?" He looked up at his sensei. "I learned it in a karate book that I have." The Hard Mater smiled. "Very good, young one."**

**The rest of the day was spent with quick tests and a few short training lessons. When it was time to g, Ian and Tommy shook hands. John laughed quietly. "Those two make a good pair. So, when do I bring him back?" The Hard Master busied himself with writing on a calender. "Monday. Tomorrow he is allowed a full days rest, and then the real training begins. He will come here on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays." John nodded. "Very good. Monday it is." He glanced over at his son who was over in a corner talking to Tommy. "Come on son, you ready to go?" Ian nodded. He shook Tommy's hand again, smiling kindly. "Bye, Tommy, it was nice to meet you." Tommy smiled, he had warmed up tremendously to his new found friend. "You too. I'll see you next week." With that, Ian took the hand of his father and walked out into the cold air outside, calling back to the Hard Master. "Goodbye, Sensei!" **


End file.
